‘It doesn’t take an X or a Y chromosome,’ female officials are coming to the NHL

By Isabelle Khurshudyan The Washington Post Thu., March 7, 2019 Paul Stewart grew impatient waiting for Katie Guay to feel comfortable making history, so he finally did it for her. The director of officiating for the Eastern College Athletic Conference’s (ECAC) hockey programs, Stewart informed Guay he scheduled her to referee a game between Union and Sacred Heart in 2015. She figured it was a routine women’s college hockey assignment — until he told her it was actually a men’s game, a step she had been reluctant to take. “I don’t know if I’m ready,” she told him. “Now you’re second-guessing me?” he fired back. And just like that, Guay became the first woman to officiate in Division I men’s college hockey. Then last month, she served as a referee for a game between Harvard and Boston College in the Beanpot, the first woman official in the history of the prominent tournament. Might she also become the first woman to referee an NHL game one day? Of the five major professional sports, the NHL is the only major league to not have a woman officiate on its stage, exhibition or otherwise, and it is actively looking to change that. To help identify potential future officiating talent for the NHL and other professional leagues, the NHL has been encouraging women to participate in its annual combine. Article Continued Below NHL Director of Officiating Stephen Walkom said the league plans to reach out to Division I hockey coaches this year for help… [Read full story]